What If?
by Huntress of Sacred Dreams
Summary: What if Rusty had never ventured into the forest? What if he had stayed in his kittypet home? What would have become of the Clans if the mighty Firestar had never set foot in the forest? Would Tigerclaw have suceeded his plans?
1. Prolouge

**Hullo all! I have returned with a new challenge! This is for MockingjayClan's Deputy position! **

**Anyway have you ever wondered what might have happened before Firestar joined ThunderClan? I mean why would any leader, especially Bluestar, take a soft kittypet into their Clan? During this short 4-5 (probably 4) chapter story I will answer that question in my own way! I will show you what would have happened if Tigerstar had succeeded in his evil plan through the eyes of all four Clan leaders! **

**Hope you enjoy it! R&R please :)**

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**Prolouge:**

****The moon shone brightly, casting a cool glow through the thick canopy. Thin rays bounced off the ground illuminating the dark shape of a cat. His dark gray fur ruffled and large amber eyes wide with fear. A rustling alerted the tom to the arrival of a new cat and the wind carried the strangers scent.

"Thunder,"

"Owlstar," Thunder greeted. Owlstar turned his head to stare at the leader of legends and was surprised to see how tired the once great leader looked. Thunder's fur, usually as bright as autumn leaves, was dull and matted. His intelligent amber eyes rimmed with fears only he could see.

Owlstar twitched a dark gray ear, "You wished to speak with me,"

"That I did," Thunder rasped, "A great danger is coming to the forest, one we have watched grow for many moons,"

"Tigerkit?"

Thunder nodded his broad head and then lifted his nose to smell the air, "Whoever is hiding from us show yourself now!"

A hiss of annoyance sounded from an elderberry bush on the opposite side of the small clearing and a snow white she-cat pulled herself out from underneath it.

"Snowfur? What are you doing here? This has nothing to do with you," Owlstar meowed, shock seeping into his voice.

Snowfur glared at Owlstar with blazing blue eyes, "This does concern me Owlstar because if that kittypet does not join the Clans then my sister could be joining StarClan sooner that she should!"

"Leave her be Owlstar, if she wants to be here she can," Thunder growled, flicking his tail impatiently, "I am guessing you have seen what will become of the Clans if that kittypet does not join ThunderClan?"

Both Snowfur and Owlstar nodded. Another shape slid from a thorn bush leaving wiry brown fur behind.

"And why was I not told of this meeting?" the new comer spat.

A chuckle came from Thunder, "Because you already knew what to do Wind,"

Wind huffed and settled comfortably on the dirt ground, "I still expected to be notified,"

"Shall we continue with the matter at hand?" Owlstar asked.

"Of course, what I think we should do is send one of us to each Clan with the vision we all received and tell them how to stop this disaster from occurring," Thunder explained.

"What about RiverClan and ShadowClan? Why are River and Shadow not at this meeting?" Snowfur asked pointedly, gazing gently at Thunder.

Wind answered Snowfur before Thunder could, "Both River and Shadow know what they must do but responsibilities to their Clans kept them away from the meeting,"

Owlstar shared a confused glance with Snowfur and the white she-cat shrugged her shoulders. A thin drizzle of rain began to spill through the thick canopy above, signalling the beginning of a new danger to the forest.

"I shall visit Bluestar," Snowfur piped up. Owlstar let out a cry of outrage.

"Why should you do it Snowfur?"

Snowfur rounded on Owlstar with a hiss, "Because Bluestar would pay more attention to me!"

A crack of thunder echoed throughout the forest and a flash of lightening illuminated the sky.

"Snowfur will visit Bluestar, Wind will go to Tallstar, Shadow will speak with Brokenstar and River will share his vision with Leopardstar," Thunder ordered, his voice growing louder to be heard over the storm. The remaining cats yowled their approval and the meeting broke up as they raced to find cover from the storm that raged on above their heads. Only Snowfur remained in the clearing. _I hope this works. If it doesn't, all really will be lost._


	2. Chapter 2

_**ShadowClan**_

The smell of carrion drifted into the small den, wafting over the form of a sleeping cat, waking him from his dreamless sleep. He gagged at the disgusting smell and narrowed his eyes in anger. With a growl, the dark tabby tom slipped out of his den and into the thin rain.

"Who," he yowled making a few cats jump," Has brought carrion into this camp?"

Cats look around at each other with accusing eyes. A small gray tabby tom stepped forward, his legs shaking slightly.

"I-I-I did Brokenstar," he stuttered. Brokenstar let out a grunt and jumped to the ground. He padded over to where the apprentice was standing and stopped in front of him.

"Why did you bring carrion into our camp Wetpaw?"

Wetpaw shared a glance with a brown apprentice before answering, "There was no prey to catch Brokenstar and then we came across a big pile of carrion and took some thinking that it would be fine to eat,"

"Brownpaw," Brokenstar flicked his tail at the brown apprentice Wetpaw had glanced at, "Fetch the carrion you and Wetpaw brought into camp,"

Brownpaw dipped his head and scurried over to the fresh kill pile. After a few moments of nosing through the fresh prey he came back with two dead mice, a dead squirrel and a dead crow. He placed them on the ground and was about to slip back into the crowd of cats when Brokenstar laid his twisted tail on his shoulder.

"You're not going anywhere," Brokenstar hissed, "Now because you two apprentices thought it would be safe to eat carrion I want you to test it,"

A grey and white tabby tom pushed to the front of the crowd, "That wouldn't be wise Brokenstar, they may get ill,"

"Then so be it Runningnose. Getting sick might show them how foolish they are," Brokenstar snarled. Wetpaw looked down at the carrion with bulging eyes.

"How much are we supposed to eat Brokenstar?"

"All of it," Brokenstar purred, malice coating his tone. With a shrug Brownpaw sunk his fangs into the rotting carcass of a mouse and began to devour it. After a moment's hesitation Wetpaw did the same to the crow.

Brokenstar watched, whiskers twitching in amusement, as the two apprentices struggled to keep the carrion down. Eventually they finished the carrion and collapsed on the ground with moans of pain.

Runningnose dashed over and nosed the apprentices gently before glaring at Brokenstar, "Congratulations Brokenstar you have just successfully poisoned two young apprentices,"

The Clan gathering broke up at Runningnose's words, most muttering to one and other. Brokenstar simply shrugged and returned to his den. _Weak apprentices,_ he thought to himself as he settled into his nest, _I doubt they'll make it to become warriors. _He suddenly felt extremely tired and slipped easily into what he thought would be another dreamless sleep.

Light seared the tabby tom's eyes through a crack and he blinked them a few times in surprise. Once his eyes had adjusted he was surprised to find himself in a clearing. A huge white tom with jet black paws slid from the bushes and was joined by another tom that looked strangely familiar.

"Brokenstar," the white tom meowed, "ThunderClan has fallen and Bluestar is dead. Tigerclaw has taken over ThunderClan and killed many,"

Brokenstar felt his blood run cold. He was watching himself speak with Blackfoot, it didn't feel right. Or normal. With a grunt, the real Brokenstar shoved through the bracken and stepped in front of Blackfoot. His deputy didn't even flinch. _He can't see me!_ The thought sent a spark dashing up Brokenstar's spine. The dream Brokenstar suddenly spoke.

"How long until Tigerclaw comes here?"

Before Blackfoot could answer another cat strode out from the undergrowth. The strangers amber eyes glowed with the light of battle and blood spattered his broad shoulders.

"Hello Brokenstar," the stranger purred smoothly.

"Tigerstar," Brokenstar greeted coldly, "What do you want?"

Tigerstar padded forward and through the real Brokenstar making him grimace. The real Brokenstar watched with fear as Tigerstar pushed his dream self into the ground.

"All four Clans must join together and become TigerClan. The other two leaders and you will rule alongside me. TigerClan will grow strong and no cat will ever go hungry again," Tigerstar explained, menace coating his voice.

The dream Brokenstar remained silent for a few heart beats, "And if I decline your offer?"

"You will die and I will take your Clan by force,"

"Then I accept your..gracious offer," Brokenstar murmured. Tigerclaw dipped his head and allowed Brokenstar to get to his paws.

The dream suddenly shattered into a thousand tiny shards and the real Brokenstar was plunged into darkness. Dirt raced up to meet him and the air was knocked out of his lungs when he crashed into it. Spitting out dirt, Brokenstar clambered to his paws only to find himself deep in a dark forest. It smelt like ShadowClan but a strange smell tainted the air. The ground beneath his paws began to vibrate and the bushes in front of him exploded as dark tabby fur flew straight through him making him feel queasy. Another cat passed through Brokenstar and he almost collapsed but something about those two cats made him get up and chase them.

By the time Brokenstar had caught up to the two cats his breath was coming in short gasps. As he staggered through a gorse bush he saw the two cats writhing on the ground and groaned. _Of course I would be the idiot to pick a fight with Tigerclaw alone!_

Tigerclaw raked his curved claws down the dream Brokenstar's flank drawing blood. Brokenstar retaliated by sinking his fangs into Tigerclaw's shoulder. Blood oozed from wounds on both cats bodies and the real Brokenstar could tell that this fight had been started earlier. Tigerclaw pinned the dream Brokenstar up against the thick trunk of a pine tree.

"You will regret the day you defied me Brokenstar!" he panted, rage glowing in his amber eyes. Brokenstar slashed his claws across Tigerclaw's scarred muzzle.

"I will never kill a member of my own Clan Tigerstar!"

_Tigerstar? Why did my dream self just call him Tigerstar? Surely StarClan wasn't stupid enough to give Tigerclaw nine lives! _The real Brokenstar thought to himself.

"Then I will kill you Brokenstar!" Tigerstar yowled.

Dream Brokenstar let out a bemused purr, "Try it Tigerstar! But remember I became a leader and was given my nine lives by StarClan. Unlike you,"

Brokenstar's comment drove Tigerstar into a rage and he thrust his claws deep into Brokenstar's chest. Brokenstar let out a shriek of pain as Tigerstar twisted his claws around inside Brokenstar's chest, clawing at his heart with bloody claws. Brokenstar slumped to the ground motionless.

"I'd like to see StarClan fix that wound," Tigerstar spat. Then the fake leader sat on the ground and watched as Brokenstar began to stir. The real Brokenstar expected his dream self to jump onto his paws and rip Tigerstar's throat out. But what really happened shocked him. Dream Brokenstar began writhing violently on the ground, blood pouring out of the gaping hole in his chest.

"He's dying over and over again!" the real Brokenstar hissed. With the realisation that he was watching his own death, Brokenstar fled from the bloody seen. Bile began to build up in the back of his throat and Brokenstar began to vomit violently. The dream began to morph around him, changing again.

Brokenstar blinked and found himself in the clearing of Four Trees. Except that it wasn't a peaceful gathering with cats milling around happily. Instead bloody bodies littered the floor and blood stained the dirt floor. He wandered through the clearing aimlessly staring at the bodies he recognised. Deadfoot, Runningnose, Wetpaw, Lizardtail, all the cats he had known lay dead in the clearing.

"Why?" was all he could say.

"This is what will happen in the future Brokenstar," a feminine voice called. Brokenstar turned to see a muscular black she-cat padding towards him, her green eyes shining with sadness.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" he whispered.

The stranger looked up at him, "I am Shadow and I know much about you,"

Brokenstar dipped in head in respect to the first leader of ShadowClan, "Is there any way to stop this from happening?"

"There is," Shadow answered, "A kittypet with fur the colour of fire must join ThunderClan to stop all of this from happening. If he does not then, well you have seen what will happen for yourself,"

"What does this have to do with me?" Brokenstar asked, confused at what Shadow was saying.

"You must meet with the other leaders tomorrow night at Four Trees and discuss how you are going to get this kittypet to join," Shadow replied.

"I will be there Shadow, I promise," Brokenstar vowed.

"And I know that you will," Shadow dipped her head, "Goodbye Brokenstar and good luck,"

Light suddenly filled Brokenstar's eyes as he woke up in his den panting. He knew what he had to do. Tomorrow night he would go to Four Trees.


End file.
